Faf du Plessis Eee Saala Cup Nahi moment (Video)

During a promotional event for RCB’s season opener in Bengaluru, Faf du Plessis messed up a classic Kannada term, “Eee Saala Cup Namde,” and Virat Kohli burst out laughing.

Royal Challengers Bangalore hasn’t won the IPL in 15 years, but the Faf du Plessis-led squad is optimistic about the upcoming season because it will be playing at home again for the first time since 2019.

The former finalists, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), will open their Indian Premier League 2023 season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru against the Mumbai Indians, who have won the tournament five times in a row.

While South African cricket star Faf du Plessis wanted to answer in local flavour by quoting the popular phrase among RCB fans, he was unable to do so at an event in Bengaluru before the team’s high-profile season opener “He was partially off with his proclamation, “Eee Saala Cup Namde” (The Cup is ours this year).

Virat Kohli, sitting next to Faf du Plessis, leaned over and gently corrected his captain’s use of the Kannada phrase “Eee Sala Cup Nahi” (There will be no Cup this year). When Faf du Plessis made that gaffe, Kohli burst out laughing.

There were applause from the audience because Faf du Plessis had finally succeeded.

The crowd at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the RCB used to play, went wild when former batsman and South African legend AB de Villiers uttered the statement during the team’s first open training session. Last weekend in Bengaluru, the RCB Unbox event paid tribute to De Villiers and Chris Gayle.

After three consecutive IPL play-off appearances, RCB will enter IPL 2023 with lofty expectations.

Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood, two of RCB’s match-winners, are injured and will miss the game. Without Patidar, RCB’s middle order appears shaky, with excessive reliance on Dinesh Karthik as the lone reliable batsman.

The time it takes for Wanindu Hasaranga to become available to RCB has increased. Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj will be counted on to carry the load, and England’s left-arm bowler Reece Topley is a solid addition.